


Maybe Both

by Bluedragonstorm



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: M/M, Minor Shimizu Kiyoko/Yachi Hitoka, POV Third Person, POV Tsukishima Kei, Screaming, Volleyball Dorks in Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-20
Updated: 2018-05-20
Packaged: 2019-05-09 06:06:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,506
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14710529
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bluedragonstorm/pseuds/Bluedragonstorm
Summary: Today was a whirlwind of events for Hinata and Kageyama--sadly both Tsukishima and Yachi were dragged into it as well--but what else do you expect from the freak duo of Karasuno?





	Maybe Both

**Author's Note:**

> You know that commercial for the soft and hard shell tacos with the little girl who's like "why not both?"  
> I thought of that a lot the other day and it somehow turned into Kagehina screaming and getting together???  
> Idk, dudes.

He wasn’t entirely adverse to the idea of being around the shrimp and the king. There. He said it. Granted it was in the privacy of his own head, but those two morons didn’t need to hear it. They’d probably go around squawking and braying about how he must have been replaced by an imposter or something had he actually said it out loud. 

 

Actually, they probably didn’t know what an imposter was. They were both just barely above failing all their classes anyway, thanks to his and Yachi’s help. Tadashi too, but that was a given. Kei couldn’t really tolerate being around such condensed levels of idiocy without the gentle presence of the freckled boy driving away the urge to just knock their heads together. Not that Kei was violent. Or the height difference between the two would make such a move a simple feat. But that didn’t stop the thought from entering his mind now and then.

 

But even with the way he had to repress such a desire, he did somewhat enjoy being near those loud boys. Hinata was fun to tease and objectively cute with his wild energy and short stature. Like a little brother. Or an excitable puppy that just learned to talk but only cared about volleyball and food. 

 

And the king, well, Kageyama was emotionally constipated and brutish in a lot of ways but he did have passion equal to that of his decoy. He was also talented and fairly easy on the eyes, with his dark hair and lean body. 

 

But in no way, shape, or form could Tsukishima Kei be—let himself be—attracted to either of them. For one, they were stupid and he was not. Hinata fawned over Kiyoko-san and Yachi just like the senpais did, so he was likely straight anyway. Kei didn’t think Kageyama was capable of being interested in pursuing anything other than victory, which was somewhat admirable considering it was the most fickle thing for anyone to go after.

 

Moreover, Kei didn’t really like the idea of dating in high school just to break up when college time came. He’d made that very clear to the very few people who actually expressed a genuine interest in him romantically and of those two people, only one seemed like he would actually follow through. He supposed if they both did and the time came…well…he’d probably pick…actually, it didn’t matter. None of it did. 

 

He was only just re-learning that volleyball was a fun sport and was worthy of expending effort in recently. Dealing with potential future boyfriends could wait. Or at least, he wanted it to wait. And his would-be suitors said they were fine with that. But what didn’t want to wait, clearly, were the idiots who sped onto the gym floor and probably would have knocked him flat on his ass if he hadn’t sidestepped at the last moment.

 

The two of them were mirroring each other, bent at the waist with their hands on their knees as they tried to catch their breaths.

 

“Ha, ha…Tol…d you I’d…beat you here, Ka…Kageyama.”

 

“Nice…try, ha…but I was…made it…ha, ha…I’m first.”

 

“No way!” The little tangerine cried out, suddenly full of energy once again and standing up properly to glare at his partner. “I totally beat you, Bakageyama!” His hands curled into little fist. What a toddler.

 

The setter glared, rising up to his full height and attempting to intimidate the other into submitting, “Like hell I’d lose to you. I got here first.” Scaring the shorty seemed to be getting harder for the king to do though, so Kei watched unamused as the other boy retaliated.

 

“DID NOT! Tsukishima, tell him. You saw, you saw right? I got here first.” Why did he need to be dragged into this?

 

“Idiots…it was a tie. Like always,” he said while walking away to talk to Suga about getting muzzles for those dumb teens, trailing off into a mutter about them being too competitive for their own good and always starting fights with each other. Save that for the opposing team. Unfortunately for him, they heard his little secondary remarks and now Hinata was hanging off his arm like some kind of angry baby monkey or weird orange fungus.

 

 

“Stupid-shima! That’s not nice. We don’t fight over everything! Kageyama’s my best friend. BEST. FRIEND. Like EVER. So take it back!”

 

Kei sighed, he really didn’t care. His level of apathy had risen exponentially when actually confronted with the teammates who he had previously claimed (internally) to not despise. His exasperation only rose when instead of removing the gremlin from his body, Kageyama chose to clam up. Odd. Well, not going out of his way to help Kei wasn’t odd. 

 

But not saying anything was odd. Normally, if Hinata screamed something that was a cue for the king to begin his own yelling. In the off-chance he wasn’t already. But Kei didn’t fixate on it, choosing instead to shake Hinata off of him with a grunt that apparently appeased the little beast, as he scampered off. Or maybe it the fact that Tanaka had called him over to boast about his new super-powered spike (which was not new and was not super-powered and the only real difference was that Tanaka did a weird pose first.) 

 

Hinata lit up, eyes sparkling at the shirtless senpai and smiling hugely. Like comically large, but it fit the guy. Kei glanced at Kageyama, who had his head down for some reason, before sighing again and just going about his business. The king’s problem wasn’t his own unless it affected their playing as well. 

 

********

 

A chirpy tune cut through the soft noises of chewing as Hinata and Kageyama sat eating their bentos. Hinata dug around in his pocket to pull out his phone, which he opened cheerfully, before making a muffled happy shriek around the rolled egg in his mouth. After swallowing and draining half of his juice carton, he shoved the phone in Kageyama’s direction.

 

“Look, it’s from Kenma! He said Kuroo found a cat that looks like me and he took a picture, look, look! Kenma’s so nice, Kuroo too even if I thought he was scary at first.”

 

Kageyama’s eyes focused first on the picture, which was of a small orange tabby showing its belly and sticking its tongue out in that little blep thing that cats do sometimes. It had brown eyes. It looked cute and soft. His eyes drifted from the cat to the smiling face of the person holding the phone…made sense that it would remind the Nekoma boys of Hinata.

 

But then blue eyes spotted the sender name. It wasn’t “Kozume-san” or just a simple “Kenma,” but rather a heart emoji, followed by “KEN,” followed by another heart emoji and a cat emoji. Kageyama looked away and didn’t really want to shovel more rice in his mouth all of a sudden, but he did it anyway and regretted it when it didn’t seem to taste as nice as his first few bites.

 

Next to him, Hinata frowned, “Oi. Bakageyama, why so grumpy? And not like normal grumpy, but sad grumpy? Did you get a bad grade and not tell me?” Bakageyama, that was probably how his name was listed in Hinata’s phone. Maybe, if the redhead was feeling nice, he changed it to Yamayama. Which was dumb and informal. Ken was even more informal, though, he supposed.

 

“No. I’m smarter than you anyway, dumbass.” He snagged his milk and sucked it down angrily, though his voice was pretty flat when he spoke.

 

“Nu-uh! My English grade is higher now!” Kageyama was out of milk now. He should have gotten three cartons today instead of his normal two. Actually, he should have just slowed down drinking this second one. He liked milk, why hadn’t he savored it properly?

 

“You were three points away from failing the math test yesterday.”

 

“You only got a point higher than me! ONE POINT!” 

 

Kageyama put his stuff down and crossed his arms, mouth opening to say that it didn’t matter because nothing could change the fact that Hinata was a _dumbass_ , but then his eyes found the phone, still opened to Kenma’s message and the cat photo. His mouth closed. He didn’t feel like opening it again. Maybe he was sick or something.

 

Hinata’s brow furrowed and he leaned into the space between them, nearly toppling over his own lunch, “What is it? Why are you being all weird? If it’s not grades, then it must be volleyball, right? You’re as good as you always are though so it—is it ME?!”

 

The taller boy clicked his tongue and turned away, making Hinata release a series of indignant sputtering noises, “WHA? WHY? I didn’t even DO anything, you jerk! I’m getting better even! Daichi SAID so! And Coach Ukai!”

 

“You serves suck.”

 

“YOU SUCK!”

 

“…It’s not even that. Eat your food.” If Hinata would just shut up and eat then maybe Kageyama could shut up and eat too and then go to the infirmary during the next period. A day not spent in history wouldn’t kill him and he couldn’t afford to miss after-school practice just because he felt off. He’d rest up, do whatever the nurse said to, then make it back in time to head to the gym.

 

Orange locks shook back and forth, “Nope! Gotta tell me what’s wrong first. This happened before remember? And we hit each other and it hurt. A lot. Not…not just the bruises and stuff but…like what came afterwards. You’re my partner, Kageyama. And my best friend. So just…just talk to me, okay?”

 

“That.”

 

“What do you mean, ‘that’?”

 

“I mean,” Kageyama sighed and started idly playing with his chopsticks, “You said it earlier, too. That.” His chopsticks were a plain black. Hinata’s were dark blue, with a little white stripe at the top. He wondered why their utensils were so different, even though they mostly ate the same things with them. Seemed stupid. Hinata should just use ones like his. Maybe he liked blue, though. What was he thinking, Hinata was the kind of person who liked all colors.

 

“What, the best friend thing? Yeah, so, you’re my best friend I don’t—oh. You…you don’t. Want that…For me to say it? Or…or to be my… my best friend?” His voice got smaller and smaller as he continued until he was practically whispering, a feat most people didn’t think him capable of given the amount of time he spent running around screaming. It would have shocked Kageyama himself but he seriously felt weird today. He responded, nonetheless.

 

“Yeah. Yeah, maybe both.” After all, it was because Hinata said that that Kageyama felt weird. Or noticed that he felt weird. And Hinata would never stop saying it unless it was no longer true.

 

Why was he playing with chopsticks? He shouldn’t have picked them up again in the first place. Now he had to put them back down. Or eat, which he didn’t really want to do for some reason. He didn’t want to look at Hinata either, but then the redhead’s small hand darted out and snagged the utensils right from his fingers before throwing them as far as he could. They skidded to the other side of the roof and promptly fell off the edge.

 

“HEY, what the HELL, Hinata?!”

 

“FINE! I don’t want to be your best friend either! Stupid idiot!! Jerk! Loser Bakageyama!! Hate your dumb face!!” 

 

The smaller teen fled—quickly, like he did everything else in his life, without looking back, just forward, only ever looking forward—and left Kageyama sitting there alone on the rooftop with two partially finished bentos and only one pair of chopsticks. Shit. 

 

********

 

Now Kei had previously believed that he was an observant, intelligent young man. Enough so that he had a good grasp on how other people worked. He didn’t necessarily like those other people, or care to get to know them the same way he did Tadashi, but he certainly understood people. They all more or less had some kind of motivation for everything they did, would go through life in their own ways that—given time—one could grow to use a method of predicting their next actions or words.

 

He wasn’t conceded enough to think that he truly knew what made people tick or developed some kind of psychic aptitude for uncovering a person’s most likely future plans. But he had been around his fellow teammates long enough to recognize certain patterns. And no matter how chaotic it all seemed outwardly at any given moment, each of them fit their own little molds once Kei took a break to think about it.

 

Noya and Tanaka were brash, dumb, cocky, and loud. The way they conveyed those things, the way they spoke about fighting or sportsmanship or Kiyoko-san fluctuated, but those facts never changed. Ennoshita was calm and collected, save for the times when Kinoshita whispered a particularly good joke in his ear and the second-year lost his damn mind. 

 

Narita felt at ease when standing next to people who were taller than him. Didn’t seem to make much sense, but every time someone like him or Asahi stood next to the guy, he seemed to get more comfortable giving his opinions. Tadashi was always more confident when encouraged verbally and with some sort of visible sign, unless Kei himself was providing the encouragement in which case it didn’t matter because his best friend always perked up regardless of how Kei showed his support. 

 

But despite these things about his peers and senpais that he knew to be concrete, today seemed to be a day for outliers. As soon as he walked into the gym, Kei sensed a strange air throughout the enclosed space. Not just the scent of Salonpas and teen hormones and sweat, because that was all (unfortunately) very commonplace. There was definitely something…off.

 

Glancing around he noticed the source of the issue. Hinata was nowhere near Kageyama. Karasuno’s number ten stood in front of Suga with his arms clutching a volleyball tightly against his chest and giving his best “toss to me” face. Only it wasn’t quite his best, seeing as his eyes looked odd and he wasn’t actually saying that phrase out loud on repeat like a broken record. Moreover, their number nine was hovering his hands over the giant container of other practice balls, looking like he had been shot point blank in the chest.

 

Actually, that was an exaggeration. To Kei, Kageyama just looked a little paler than normal and extremely out of it. Like his face was pretty much the same scowl as it was often, save for the times that creepy psychotic smile overtook it, although it looked more…blank? Like he was unsure. 

 

And Kageyama was never really unsure when on the court. In class? Of course. During study sessions? Definitely. When deciding between two identical meat buns at Sakanoshita? Made sense, the guy was an idiot and he usually got four by the end of his crisis, one of which the runt would steal and run away with. Never could remember that apparently though, as he did it every damn time if the senpais didn’t purchase a bunch beforehand.

 

But anyway, the shrimp was clearly pissed off or sad or something. And whatever emotion, it happened to be directed at his setter. So he was preoccupied with Suga now. And Kageyama was obviously upset himself. To the point of looking physically ill. 

 

In fact, he was starting to think the boy actually was physically ill when he watched the king blink, grab a ball, and then immediately drop it on the floor. Not bounce it to test the air level. Or take a practice serve. He just dropped it and watched it roll away. He grabbed another one and Kei was worried he’d simply repeat himself, but instead the boy’s brow furrowed in determination. 

 

He looked back at Hinata and set the ball without taking his eyes off of the smaller form. Hinata didn’t even flinch, he made no motion whatsoever to go after the projectile and no one else did either. Now Kageyama’s face closed off. Completely. That was the look he had when they first got on the team. There was _nothing_ behind those dark blue eyes. 

 

Without saying a word, Kageyama stiffly walked out, his shoulders brushing Kei’s but not seeming to phase him at all. Nor did the questions thrown out by nearly everyone as their number nine just..left.

 

The only one not saying anything besides Kageyama and Kei himself, was Hinata. The boy just tugged on Suga’s arm and gestured at the ball. Great. No, awesome. So Kei had neglected to question whatever weirdness he first noticed in Kageyama earlier and now they were down a player, with another one going nonverbal. No, that’s great. That’s how he wanted this day to go. 

 

And now that also meant he’d need to be the one to clean up their mess. Because it obviously _was_ affecting the team and Kei…however reluctantly, _did_ care about Karasuno and their success and, well, he cared about those two idiots too. Because they were his team’s two idiots. In some ways, his own two idiots. His friends even. Gods, maybe he was sick too. 

 

In between all the mess of competing questions and voiced concern, Kei got the attention of Coach Ukai and Takeda-sensei, explaining briefly that the freak duo was dancing around each other and some bigger issue that their tiny pea brains (this was not exactly how he phrased it to them) could not comprehend without either outside help or years of thinking…which they did not have. 

 

Within a few minutes, the adults had the teenagers corralled and brought down to a tolerable level of noise and the sulking, strangely silent shrimp was being guided outside for a chat with their youngest manager. 

 

Good. As grating as that voice could be, Kei didn’t like the idea of not hearing all those “gwahs” after spikes and the fawning the guy did every time he put on his sports goggles. He was cute for a moron. Kageyama too. 

 

Kei crossed his arms and let himself zone out, Tadashi’s worries about the duo and the team, coupled with his appreciation of Kei’s positive intervention—“I didn’t do anything. Shut up, Yamaguchi”—the only thing he bothered to pay attention to.

 

Daichi or Coach or someone really ought to get them doing laps or something soon or he’d fall asleep. Actually, that sounded pretty good. They should just take the whole day off like the king apparently was doing and—

 

Suga clapped his hands together and smiled serenely, “We’re thinking about starting off with some receiving practice today.” Dammit.

 

********

 

Hinata sat on the ground, leaning his back against the gym, volleyball still cradled in his arms. He was staring at it, refusing to look up at Yachi. The girl was equal parts anger and nervous energy. She twisted her hands in her shirt and gave orange curls a, well not quite a glare, but she looked very cross.

 

“You promised.”

 

Now Hinata looked up, nose scrunching slightly and eyes narrowing a bit in confusion.

 

“You said, back when,” she sighed, “Back then during your big fight with Kageyama. You p-promised me you wouldn’t hurt each other like that again. Ever. That you, that you wouldn’t scare me like that again.”

 

That was enough to break the silent spell over the boy as he hunched forward and mumbled into the ball, “It’s not like I hit him or anything. He didn’t touch me, either. He’d sooner die, I guess. Sorry that we, that I scared you.”

 

The blonde reared back, “What? That doesn’t—you didn’t even look at him, though it’s obvious that you two were fighting and I don’t think it’s about the…the thing from before! So, you, ugh!” She turned around, muttering to herself as she twisted her hands for a moment before turning back to Hinata, “Just…Can you maybe, if you want, I shouldn’t just demand—no, I mean you two are my friends and you two are each other’s friends so—”

 

She paused, noting that Hinata’s arms tightened around the ball at her last remark. She bit her lip and looked all around before she sat gingerly beside him. She’d probably make a mess out of her track pants but that didn’t really matter right now.

 

“You…you wanna talk about it?”

 

Hinata tilted his head to peek at her with one eye, “…Kageyama hates me.”

She was about to protest because for all of his chants of “dumbass” and head-grinding from those large hands, Kageyama never seemed to truly HATE the little middle blocker. In truth, she couldn’t think of anyone who did. Even Tsukishima liked him to some extent. Their rivals liked him, for crying out loud, some of them adored him! She thinks that pudding head, er, that setter from Nekoma wanted to steal him away half the time!

 

But the boy wasn’t finished. “He said, he _said_ that he didn’t want me. As his…as his friend. He told me he was upset today because I called him my best friend and I asked him why and he just _told me_ ,” his voice broke and he cleared his throat roughly as he hid his face from view again, “that he didn’t want me to call him that. That he didn’t want to _be_ that. Not with me.”

 

“Oh, oh Shouyou, I’m so sorry. I, um, are you sure he meant it like that?” Yachi’s voice was gentle and soft, even though it wasn’t like being quiet would soothe the ache in Hinata’s chest. He shrugged, “It’s not like he could’ve meant anything else by it. I shouldn’t even be this upset, you know?”

 

“It’s just…it’s just. I know I get on his nerves. And he gets on mine. And both of us aren’t super smart. But…we made something really, really cool together. That quick, I mean all of them, but that first one, that very first one it just…it made me feel so like, just all,” he searched for the right words but even one of his descriptive noises seemed to escape him. None of them felt good enough.

 

“I can’t get it out but it was amazing. I never felt like I could truly reach as far as I’ve always dreamed of going until I felt like that, you know? And it was because I got the chance to be on a real team with other people who just really…they all really care. About this game. And Kageyama, it’s everything to him. The same way it is for me. He…it’s part of him.”

 

He lifted his head and stared forward; Yachi didn’t bother to comment on the wetness of his eyes. Small strong hands lifted the ball and held it in front of the afternoon sun that shone down on him. Hinata held that position for a moment, before placing the ball at his feet.

 

“And I was so, so happy to be here. I mean I am, happy to be here. Happy to play with everyone. But playing with Kageyama is…different…special. And I just, I mean I now know that it’s stupid, but I like the guy, you know? I like playing together and eating together and talking and studying and complaining when we don’t understand things and running and being with each other…just being, I don’t know, close?”

 

Yachi took a deep breath and let it out slowly, “Um, how do I say this, um. It’s a delicate thing, I guess. All of it is, um. Just, do you maybe…like…Kageyama?”

 

He laughed a little, “Of course, I wouldn’t be this upset if I didn’t like the stupid jerk. Like I said, it was nice being friends with him. Well, I guess I should say thinking I was friends with him.”

 

“No, Shouyou, I didn’t mean like that. I mean, well. The way you talked about it just then, I mean. Look, I’m not saying it is this. Or that it isn’t. But it might be possible, given how you described your feelings and all just now, that maybe you…like Kageyama…as more than a friend?”

 

“Best friends, yeah. That’s what I thought we were and even though I feel really bad and hurt and kinda hate him a whole bunch and don’t want to talk or see him right now, I…I wouldn’t mind being best friends with him aga—well, for the first time I guess. For real.”

 

The young girl closed her eyes and centered herself for a moment, before continuing on determinately, “Shouyou I meant more than as friends or best friends. Actually more implies that it’s better and it isn’t, it’s just different really but I meant like…the way? The way I feel towards Kiyoko-san. Like not just respect and admiration but the uh, the desire to sort of monopolize, er, be together alone? And do couple things. Hold hands and k-ki-ki-kiss and stuff.”

 

Hinata blinked, “So you think that I…like Kageyama? Like I’m into him? _Like-like_? Him? That guy…that Kageyama.”

 

Yachi flushed and stuttered through several apologies for assuming and jumping to conclusions and she didn’t even know if Hinata liked boys not that he had to in order to like their number nine because maybe he just liked Kageyama and no other boys but he was really close with the Nekoma setter so maybe he just liked setters or quiet people but Kageyama was only quiet sometimes and often he was really super loud and oh she is just so sorry and she might have a heart attack right now so he didn’t even have to feel bad or mad or anything because she was just gonna die right here and she was sorry about that too because—

 

“YACHI!” He grabbed her by the shoulders and she paused, heaving and struggling to calm down.

 

“You gotta stop apologizing like this. Especially to me. I’m your friend. You told me what you thought. It helped. So thanks.”

 

“I…it…h…helped?”

 

“Yeah,” he took his hands off of her and lifted one up to rub the back of his neck, “I mean, I DO like guys…I like everybody really and before you say it, yeah I get it, like that, like…romantically. There’s a lot of really cool people out there. I, well I might kinda pay the most attention to other volleyball players but, yeah. Like, everyone’s cool and good and ‘wayuush.’”

 

A noise? A noise that didn’t make sense? Oh, Hinata must be feeling better! Maybe?

 

“Does um…I mean you don’t have to tell me, but does Kageyama feel, how did you put it, ‘wayuush?’”

 

“I never really thought about it before. He’s skilled and tall. And dumb, but not like super dumb. And he’s scary and creepy sometimes. And he always messes my hair up and squishes my head. And calls me dumbass and idiot like all the damn time! I hate that!”

 

“But…but I do…I mean he is different from the others. And sometimes, not, not all the time, but sometimes, I’ll be just standing or sitting next to him and I feel like really uh…it’s not like that feeling when you’ve gotten something good but like when you like where you are at?”

 

“Contentedness?”

 

“YEAH! Like…like that. Like I’m just happy but not like spike-happy, just, warm coat-happy. Yeah…yeah. But I guess…well it doesn’t really matter now, ‘cuz he hates me. Doesn’t even want to be my friend, let alone my _boy_ friend.”

 

“…Sorry, Shou-chan.” She placed a hand on his arm, trying to offer some consoling to the dejected boy.

 

“Not your fault, Yacchan.”

 

“…It’s my fault,” came a low voice from their right. Kageyama Tobio, loosely holding onto one of those lollipops the nurse gave out to students who came to the infirmary. 

 

********

 

Hinata’s face turned deathly pale, then pink pink pink pink RED. He jumped up, the ball being kicked away somewhere and took off like a bullet towards the bike rack. Startled, Yachi let out a high-pitched ‘eep’ before calling out after her friend. Hinata ignored her as he bolted. She turned to Kageyama and saw his fist curl so tightly around the lollipop that it crumbled and she was honestly surprised it didn’t turn to dust completely in that white-knuckled grip.

 

Now Kageyama was running too, speeding after Hinata, dropping the lollipop on the ground as he ran. He gained on him like a demon, even after the shorter boy had started to actual _pedal_ away. Yachi…needed to lie down. She stood up wobbly from the rush of emotions and whirlwind of the two teens’ actions before picking up the tossed candy and disposing of it properly. Then she headed into the gym again. 

 

“Umm…everyone….I think…they might be alright now or actually no, but getting there? Soon? After they talk it out, maybe? But they’re both gone. As in, leaving the campus. So…yes.”

 

Tsukishima scoffed, “Oh no, a practice without the morons, how terrible.”

 

“Tsukki! That’s not nice!” The taller teen looked at his friend. ‘Your point being?’ his eyes said.

 

Number twelve lowered his voice, “I know you really actually care deep down in that heart of yours.”

 

A smile was hidden by a large palm as glasses were pushed up slightly, “Shut up, Yamaguchi. I have a reputation.”

 

“As a big softie, maybe. I mean, SORRY, TSUKKI!”

 

********

 

“HINATA, STOP RUNNING AWAY FROM ME!!!”

 

“I’M NOT RUNNING, I’M ON A BIKE YOU STUPID IDIOT! AND LIKE HELL I’M STOPPING JUST SO YOU CAN CHOKE ME FOR LIKING YOU!!!”

 

“I’m NOT gonna freaking CHOKE you, YOU DUMBASS! JUST STOP!”

 

“NEVER!”

 

“I’M NOT MAD!”

 

“I DON’T TRUST YOU!”

 

“I’M REALLY REALLY REALLY HAPPY!!!”

 

“SEE? YOU’RE JUST SUPER MAD And…..what?”

 

“AT—this is so stupid—at least SLOW DOWN.”

The older teen did, legs gradually cycling slower and slower until he just came to a complete stop. There was still a decent sized gap between them, and despite the loud inner voice that screamed that this was a trap, Hinata didn’t move. He did, however, not turn to face Kageyama when he heard those footsteps cease right behind him.

 

Hinata’s spine was taut with nerves and no small amount of wariness. Kageyama’s breaths were settling into something more normal, but even when they sounded mostly steady in Hinata’s ears—over the rabbit-quick beating of his own heart—the taller boy didn’t speak. 

 

He just stood there, waiting. For Hinata to turn around? Not likely. If he did, he’d probably…well he wasn’t sure what he would do. Laugh? Scream? Cry? Start pedaling again? No, it was safer to face away, even if his curiosity forced him to stay stiffly within arm’s reach.

 

Breaking the silence, it seemed, would be up to him though. “S-so,” he said one damn word and his voice already sounded feeble and wrecked, what the hell? He tugged his lips inward and brought a hand up to pull at his ear for some reason. Just get on with it, why wasn’t Kageyama talking yet?

 

“So,” the redhead started again, “you uh, you umm. Said that you…were not mad but, uh, but happy?”

 

“Really, really, really happy.” Hinata swallowed, “O-oh?” Did, did Kageyama just take a step forward? No. No, he was already close enough, wasn’t he? That would be…that would be unnecessary. 

 

That was the sound of gravel though. He was definitely moving forward. Oh, oh no. Hinata needed, he had to, he just, he really needed to get out of there. Yeah, he should just go. But his legs wouldn’t budge. None of his body was moving, actually. He closed his eyes tightly, it was fine! He just wouldn’t look. If he didn’t look at Kageyama then everything would be just fine!

 

The darkness behind Hinata’s eyes was comforting. Less comforting was the way Kageyama’s voice now came from directly in front of him. He didn’t deserve this. Really, truly, he did not deserve this.

 

“Hinata. You get what I’m saying, don’t you? Why I’m…so happy?” No, no he did not get it. In fact, Kageyama didn’t even sound happy. Before he had sounded angry and frustrated and now he sounded soft. Weirdly soft. Not happy, just kinda quiet and gentle and altogether very not-Kageyama-sounding.

 

“I don’t,” he said, eyes still closed, hands gripping the handlebars tightly, “Just. Just tell me.”

 

“Are you gonna look at me?”

 

“…I don’t know yet.”

 

“…okay. Then. Should I, should I not look at you?”

 

Hinata’s eyelids opened as he huffed, “why are you looking at me in the first—?”

 

Kageyama was really close. And he was really pink. And his eyes were wide and locked onto Shouyou’s. 

 

The setter coughed and glanced away, but his eyes darted back to Shouyou’s every other few words as he continued, “Guess we’re just both gonna keep our eyes open, then. And I, I guess. What I wanted to say, m-my meaning? The thing? I’m happy, right? Yeah. Yeah. I am. And that’s because I…because I l-li-like you…too…”

 

Hinata frowned, “No you don’t.”

 

“Yes I do!” The blush on the boy’s face wasn’t leaving, even if his face was turning back towards its usual scowl.

 

“No, you don’t. You SAID to ME that you didn’t like us being best friends or me even calling you my best friend and that’s because you actually HATE me.”

 

“I never said I hate you! YOU said you hated my face!”

 

“Because I do, it’s dumb and nice to look at and you opened that big dumb mouth of yours to tell me you didn’t want to be my friend anymore!”

 

“BECAUSE I WANT TO BE YOUR PARTNER!”

 

Hinata rolled his eyes, “There are several other people on the team, Bakageyama and even if they can’t pull off our quick, they can still be your—”

 

“ROMANTICALLY, DUMBASS!”

 

Hinata blinked. Once, twice. Three times in rapid succession. Then it was his turn to be blushy, “B-b-but? You? I? No. You NEVER said anything like that!”

 

“I didn’t KNOW at the time. I just heard you say best friend a bunch and I saw the stupid way you put Kozume’s number in your phone with all the hearts and it made me mad because that’s not…not what I wanted for us. I wanted something…different and special, like…like what you were talking about with Yachi and then I heard you, I heard you _say it_ , say that you _liked me_ in that way and I then I just…figured it out. That…that I was mad ‘cuz I wanted that and it seemed like you…didn’t.”

 

“Stupid.”

 

“What?”

 

“Idiot. Moron. Dummy. BAKAGEYAMA!”

 

“OI, shut your damn mouth I get it! I’m dumb, you hate me now! Fine! Whatever!” He turned around and started marching forward, only making it a few steps before he was knocked off his feet.

 

“You wanna fight me now?” The younger boy snarled, body twisting and arms flailing to try and get a grasp on the redhead that had tackled him into the ground.

 

“I’m hugging you!”

 

Oh. So…so he was. It was tight and the angle was weird and there were bits of rock digging into his back and legs and he thinks he might be bleeding from his knees and possibly his chin, but Hinata was actually hugging him. It was nice, kind of. Felt nice. Felt better when he brought his arms down to actually hug the other boy back.

 

“You can be both, you know.”

 

“Huh?”

 

A puff of warm air was sighed into his chest and it made his skin tingle. “You can be both my best friend and my boyfriend. You don’t need to stop being the first one. Or hate being the first one. Just…be you. And I’ll be me. And we’ll be together like…like we have been. But with other stuff too.”

 

“Stuff like…like this? Hugging?”

 

“On the ground? No!”

 

“I didn’t mean it like that stupid, I just meant. Ugh, like we’ll hug sometimes now, right?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“And I could um…I could maybe…like if you wanted to and I wanted to and we had some time and it was okay, I could like…kiss…you…a little?”

 

When he felt Hinata try to look up at his face, which was _burning_ , he tightened his hold and even put one hand on the back of Hinata’s head to keep him from seeing. This was embarrassing enough as it was. Plus, well, that hair felt nice in his hands. Especially now when he could just rest it as opposed to crushing it down.

 

“Y-yeah. You could do that. Only, only I’d get to too! If, I mean, ‘cuz we’re boyfriends now! So I…I get to do that…sometimes.”

 

“Yeah. Yeah, okay. Good.”

 

“Good.”

 

“Is now—?”“Can I—?” They both started, before stopping. Hinata started laughing and Kageyama could feel the vibrations of it in his chest and it made his blush get worse and he felt like laughing too, but that also felt like giving up somehow, so he just took a deep breath and flipped them over and smushed his face against his new boyfriend’s. 

 

He didn’t aim well though, so he only got like half of Hinata’s lips under his, but when he pulled back Hinata looked dazed and flushed and happy, so he didn’t care a ton. He’d practice a lot and get it right soon enough.

 

“Wow. That, we should do more of…that. Um. Not. Not on the ground though.”

 

“Oh, right,” Kageyama got up and offered a hand out to Hinata and pulled him up easily.

 

“So…we’re good? Like you agreed to be my best friend AND my boyfriend just now, right? No more hurting my feelings in the middle of lunch?”

 

Kageyama winced, then scowled, “Yeah. Of course. Dumbass. Not gonna hurt my best friend. Or my boyfriend. So, shut up. And you better not…not hurt me either. Don’t just…don’t just leave me alone like…like that again.” His voice dropped to a whisper, “Please.”

 

“I won’t,” Hinata promised him, eyes shining and fierce in his sincerity. It made Kageyama nod and rub at his face, trying to hide how much color was in his face, “Alright. It’s a deal. Get back on your bike. Gonna walk you home.”

 

“Kageyama I live all the way up the mountain, remember?”

 

“Shut up! Boyfriends do this kind of thing! Just get on the damn bike, dumbass.”

 

“Okay, okay, jeez…hey…can…can I call you Tobio, now?”

 

“Su-sure…Sh-shou…Shouyou.”

 

**Author's Note:**

> I kinda hinted at Kei being like, casually courted by both Tadashi and Tetsurou so that was kinda way outta left field, lol.  
> But eh! Also it was just fun writing him all exasperated and pissed off, but still so clearly caring towards Shou and Tobio, like we all know you're a giant teddy bear under all that snarky salt. Tadashi even called you out on it!


End file.
